ETIQUETTE

Lindy Central is dedicated to providing a safe, inclusive, welcoming space and experience for all attendees. We welcome all dancers and jazz enthusiasts redardless of age, gender / gender identiy, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, ability, physical appearance, religion, socioeconomic status, or beliefs. We will not tolerate bullying or harassment of any form. If we feel your are being disruptive or making anyone feel uncomfortable, we my ask you to leave, If your behavior warrants it, we may ban you from all future events or involve the police.

Our aim is to spread the joys of dancing. We specialize in vernacular jazz era dances from the 1920s through the late 1940s such as Lindy Hop, Charleston, Balboa, Blues, Shag, and Solo Jazz movements.

In 2016, Lindy Central relocated to the Central Pennsylvania area from the San Francisco Bay area. We currently host regular weekly classes in and around the Harrisburg area. We specialize in teaching swing dancing to all levels of dancer from newcomer to masters. Your instructors are experienced dance teachers, some are champion level international instructors, who want to welcome you to the dance community and whom want to encourage you to learn at a pace that is good for you. Due to the nature of dance, at times, you might feel challenged in our classes. This is often when you do the most growing as a dancer. Allow for some challenge, but if you ever have concerns about your level or flow, please do come and chat with us. We want you to have a great experience.

We at Lindy Central offer a safe, welcoming space for people to learn to dance and share dance.

SOME IMPORTANT THINGS TO REMEMBER:

You are always allowed to decline any dance partner.It is okay to say "No!"If you receive a "no" response, please politely move on to the next partner with something simple like, "okay, maybe another time!" We do not need to read into why someone replies with a "no."

That being said, we do encourage people to remember that this is a social dance and we do gain a lot by asking new people to dance and by asking dancers of all levels to dance. It is good for us personally and great for the dance scene as well. Everyone started as a beginner. Let's try to be friendly, courteous, welcoming, and still respectful of all boundaries. An enthusiastic, genuine, "Yes" is always a great thing to hear as well.

General guidelines to maximize your fun:

If you bump into someone on the dance floor, a quick apology is much appreciated.

If you are sick, please spend your time at home and get your dancing fix watching youtube!

If you just consumed mass quantities of onion and garlic soup, please help yourself to a mint or mouthwash if you don't have access to a toothbrush. (*this goes for any offensive smell - coffee, too)

If you sweat a lot, and a lot of us do, please just bring an extra shirt or two and maybe a towel. No big deal.

Not everyone appreciates long dips, low dips, and or fast dips. Be mindful. Don't be afraid to apologize if something goes a awry or if someone's body language tells you, "hey, that was not a dip for me tonight!"

Not everyone wants to be in a long, close embrace. Please respect your partners. If you are just dancing with someone for the first time, we ask that you spend time getting to know them in a more "open position." If someone wants to dance in a position such as a close embrace and you are uncomfortable, we urge you to speak up. Saying something like, "I am not totally comfortable in close position" this should be enough and that person should stop immediately. We hope that if you are receiving this advice, please do not take it personally. We all have different comfort levels.

**Please stay STOP or NO if you are ever uncomfortable.

If you are uncomfortable, walking away is also okay. Please come find us if someone did not stop when you asked them to stop.

The social dance floor is not the time for aerials, tricks, or lifts. Please save those for jams and contests that allow them.

Please do not offer unsolicited advice - even if you think it would be ever so helpful. Classes are for instruction and corrections.

Moves like "the pretzel" are often not fun for follows. It can be a lot of twisting and bending and an action done to the follower and often not a "shared" movement. Please be mindful of your partner and try to read some body language and facial expressions. Also, please know that any move where you need to "call" it on the social dance floor is probably not rooted much in "lead and follow" technique.

Let's keep it friendly, welcoming, and encouraging for all. Let foster a sense of respect and fun so we can all thrive.

And please, please do help us bring in new dancers by sharing our website, facebook links, flyers, and more. Word of mouth is often best! Thank you so much. Your support is so appreciated. Thank you, sincerely.

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** If you ever feel unsafe or uncomfortable at any of our dances and or events, please do not hesitate to come talk to an organizer, instructor, or DJ immediately. We will do all we can to keep your safe and comfortable. If you feel more comfortable emailing, please contact cclarue@gmail.com